The present invention relates to transfer hoists for use in living quarters or patient care facilities to bodily lift disabled persons and transport them from one location to another.
The hoists are commonly mounted on and suspended from an overhead rail which is supported in A-frames, or attached by support brackets to ceiling joists. Typically, the hoists are used by disabled persons, such as quadriplegic, handicapped, weak and elderly persons, to lift themselves vertically and transport themselves along the overhead rail from one location to another, such as from a bed to a wheelchair, without assistance. This provides such persons with added mobility and independence.
Prior art transfer hoists tend to be modeled after industrial hoists and, therefore, are not entirely satisfactory for use in living quarters or patient care facilities. Excessive weight of the hoists is a particular problem, as they may weigh more than 150 lbs. This makes hoist installation difficult and shipping expensive. Further, since the supporting structure, such as an A-frame, must carry the weight of the overhead rail, the hoist and the person being lifted by the hoist, this structure must be extremely sturdy and rugged. This adds further to the costs associated with the hoist.
In addition, prior art transfer hoists commonly have intricate designs comprising, for example, channelized weldments. Since weldments are expensive to manufacture, this adds significantly to the cost of the hoist. Moreover, the prior art hoists generally include complex guide mechanisms which guide steel cables onto multiple take-up reels. The guide mechanisms and multiple take-up reels are provided to decrease cable wear and prevent the cables from twisting or kinking. However, they are expensive, not only in terms of materials, but in terms of labor necessary to assemble them and mount them on the hoist. In addition, these steel cables and associated mechanisms further increase the weight of the hoist.
In the event of power outages, it is desirable that the hoist be capable of manual operation. The prior art, however, has not provided a manual override that is satisfactory for such manual operation.